A Lifetime of Social Distancing

The term ‘social distancing’ is now an every day term.  We hear it all around us every single day. ‘Stay home, don’t gather together, stay six feet away’… and what a challenge it is for us social creatures! But before these social constraints began in the interest of the health and safety of our communities, individuals with social challenges have been socially distanced involuntarily, sometimes their whole lives.

Now, more than ever, we are experiencing the mental, physical, and emotional impacts of social isolation.  We may be feeling heavy emotions like loneliness, depression, anxiety, or fear, and we may be faced with the clear realization of how critical social connection is for our well-being.  

Research shows that having even just one close friendship can buffer the impact of stressful life events.  And while our global community navigates this incredibly stressful time, we need our friends now more than ever.  

But what if you don’t have any friends? What if you are socially neglected, rejected or isolated on a daily basis? What if this is has been your reality for most of your life?  This is the reality for many people, including individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, social anxiety, or other social challenges.  

How can this information help us?

Let’s come together as a community to support each other socially.

• Embrace being distanced socially as an opportunity to practice empathy and compassion for the emotional and mental struggle that socially isolated individuals experience when they are prevented from social contact.

• Express gratitude for the ways in which our modern world allows for us to connect with each other socially without being physically close.  

• Reach out to someone you know who is socially isolated to show your support. Send a text, a funny meme, make a phone call, or arrange a video chat to support those that you know are struggling.

If social interaction was a challenge for you before the current health crisis, consider this an opportunity to learn social skills from the comfort of your own home.  And when life returns to a new normal, where we are once again able to interact with others in physical space, we can practice the foundational skills we have learned during our time of social distancing, and create meaningful and lasting relationships.

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If you are interested in joining a virtual social skills class, contact us today to get started!  

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